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Fatal Work Injuries in Georgia - 2013

Fatal work injuries totaled 70 in 2013 for Georgia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that while the 2013 count was preliminary, this year’s fatality count was the lowest annual total for the state since the Bureau began tracking workplace fatalities in 1992. Fatal occupational injuries in the state reached a series high of 249 in 1994. The number of fatalities has trended downward each year since 2004. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a preliminary total of 4,405 fatal work injuries was recorded in 2013, down from a final count of 4,628 fatal work injuries in 2012, according to results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program. Final 2013 CFOI data will be released in the late spring of 2015.

Of the 70 fatal work injuries reported in Georgia in 2013, 24 resulted from transportation incidents, 17 from contact with objects and equipment, and 14 from falls, slips, or trips. Together these three major categories accounted for more than three-quarters of all fatal work injuries. Each of the other major event categories reported 10 or fewer deaths. (See table 1.) Within transportation incidents, roadway incidents were the most frequent type of workplace fatality with 14 deaths, accounting for 20 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the state. In the contact with objects and equipment category, 11 deaths occurred from being struck by an object or equipment. In the falls, slips, or trips category, 12 deaths occurred from falls to a lower level. (Note that transportation counts presented in this release are expected to rise when updated 2013 data are released in the late spring of 2015 because key source documentation detailing specific transportation-related incidents has not yet been received.)

In the United States, transportation incidents were also the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2013, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. Georgia’s share of on-the-job fatalities due to this event was smaller (34 percent). (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries was the second most frequent type of event nationally, with 17 percent of work-related fatalities, higher than the 14-percent share for this event in Georgia. Contact with objects or equipment and falls, slips, and trips each accounted for 16 percent of the nation’s workplace fatalities.

Additional key characteristics:

The trade, transportation and utilities industry sector had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 21, down from 36 the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents accounted for eight worker deaths. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals and contact with objects and equipment each accounted for five fatalities.

The construction industry had the second highest number of workplace fatalities with 12, down from 17 the previous year. Falls, slips, and trips accounted for six worker deaths in this sector.

Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatal work injuries (21). (See table 3.) Eleven of these fatalities were heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Construction and extraction occupations had the next-highest fatality count (14). Within this occupational group, 13 of the fatalities were construction trades workers.

Men accounted for 60, or 86 percent, of the work-related fatalities in the state. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 32 percent of these fatalities.

In Georgia, 50 percent of those who died from a workplace injury were white non-Hispanics. Nationwide, this group accounted for 68 percent of work-related deaths.

Workers 25-54 years old—the prime working age group—accounted for 50, or 71 percent, of the State’s work-related fatalities in 2013. Nationally, workers in this group accounted for 60 percent of on-the-job fatalities.

Of the 70 workers that suffered fatal work injuries in Georgia, 97 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remaining were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers was transportation incidents (23).

Technical Note

Background of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS occupational safety and health statistics program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the United States during the calendar year. The program uses diverse state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. This assures counts are as complete and accurate as possible.

Federal/State agency coverage. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all fatal work injuries, whether the decedent was working in a job covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or other federal or state agencies or was outside the scope of regulatory coverage. Thus, any comparison between the BLS fatality census counts and those released by other agencies should take into account the different coverage requirements and definitions being used by each agency.

Acknowledgments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that submitted source documents used to identify fatal work injuries, in particular the Georgia Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 800-877-8339.

Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material

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Excavation or trenching cave-in

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Footnotes:(1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward.(2) Totals for 2012 are revised and final.(p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.

NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.

Footnotes:(1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2007.(2) Totals for 2012 are revised and final.(p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.(3) Includes fatal injuries at all establishments categorized as Mining (Sector 21) in the North American Industry Classification System, including establishments not governed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) rules and reporting, such as those in Oil and Gas Extraction.(4) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry.

NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.

Footnotes:(1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010.(2) Totals for 2012 are revised and final.(p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.

NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.

Footnotes:(1) Totals for 2012 are revised and final.(p) Data are preliminary. Revised and final 2013 data are scheduled to be released in spring 2015.(2) May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation.(3) Includes self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses and farms, paid and unpaid family workers, and may include some owners of incorporated businesses or members of partnerships.(4) Information may not be available for all age groups.(5) Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. The race categories shown exclude Hispanic and Latino workers.

NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.